Current-relaying apparatus.



H. GERDIBN'. 0033mm RELAYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 111. 7.1911. 4 1,004,012. a n lfsept 26.01911.

I SHEEN-BEBE! 2.

a @a 6d JEy/ l l I F 'NVCNTOR WITNESSES Hans G'crdien B h s Oflorna ei-M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS GERDIEN, OF HALENSEE, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY,

ASSIGNOR TO SIEMENS 6:

HALSKE, A. G., F BERLIN, GERMANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

CURRENT-RELAYING A PPARA TUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 7, 1911.

Patented Sept. 20, 1911. Serial No. 601,443.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS QERDIEN, :1 subject of the German Emperor, and residing at Halensee, near Berlin, Germany, ha vc invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current-Relaying Apparatus, of

which the following is a specification.

The subject-matter of my Invention is means for producing great changes of energy in dependence on smaller chan es of energy, the great changes of energy born to a certain extent pro ortional to the sma lei. changes of energy. guch means may be designated a quantitative relay in contradistinction to customary relays, in which the secondary changes of energy brought about by primary changes of energy are in no definite relation one to the other.

y means are particularly suitable for increasin the action of arriving waves in radiote egra hy, vfor increasing the action of telephones, t e action of telegraphs in cable telegraphy, for signaling, and for controlling machines from a distance, and the like.

According to my invention, for producing the great changes of energy a luminous discharge is used, whose strength is influenced by a magnetic field varied by small primary changes of energy. By luminous discharge is to be understood the electric current in a gas, in which the material of which the cathode is composed is not vaporized by the current and does not participate in the transmission of the current. In contradistinction thereto an arc is formed only when the material of which the cathode is composed is vaporized by 'the current.

Cathode rays are a constant accompanying phenomenon of luminous discharge. They are the carriers of a certain fraction of the luminous dischar e and are that part of the whole luminous discharge which can be magnetically or electrically most readily influenced in its position and direction. In my present invention, however, the energy of the total luminous discharge, and not only the position and direction of the cathode lriays, is directly influenced by a magnetic eld.

Several illustrative embodiments of my invention are diagrammatically represented by way of example in the accompanying awing, wherein Figure 1 shows the simplest form of my invention; Figs. 1, 1 and 1 are sections through various vacuum tubes showing the course of the cathode rays under various conditions; Fig: 2 shows an embodiment similar to that shown in Fig. l but with the addition of an auxiliary circuit; Fig. 3 is a diagram; Fig. 4- shows another embodiment of my invention; Figs?) and 5 show modified forms of vacuum tubes in sectional elevation; Figs. 5" and 6 arrqsections through the tube shown in Fig. 5' mid throu h a modified form of tube, respectively; F1g. 7 shows another embodiment of my invention, and Fig. 8 shows how my invention may be used in connection with radiotelcgraphy.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, a designates a closed glass tube containing a highly rarefied gas; I) designates the cathode, c the source of current, (2 the anode, e the conductor connecting the electrodes to the source of current, and s a receiving apparatus, 6. g. a telephone, interpolated in this conductor. These members form the secondary circuit. The primary circuit consists of the coil f mounted concentrically relatively to the cathode b, a sender p, e. 9. an alternating current generator, and the conductors r connccting the sender with the coil 1. By showing part of the conductors 'r in dotted lines it is intended to indicate that the sender 7) may be at a great distance from the coil f. When the coil f is currentless, will go from the cathode b at to the surface of the rod, 1'. e. radially, to the wall of the tube, as shown in Fig. 1'. In this figure a desi nates the tube, 6 the cathode rod and k t e cathode rays. If, on the contrary, a current traverses the coil 1, the cathode rays are deflected and arranged curved around the cathode rod 6, as shown in Fig. 1". coil f is increased still more, the cathode rays no longer arrive at the wall of the tube at all, but are caused to arrange themselves in circles about the cathode, as represented in Fi 1". As soon as the cathode rays are curve the intensity of the total luminous discharge is simultaneously changed. To what this is due, is very difficult to determine; probably itis due to the cathode rays traversing within the tube a lon er path in consequence of their being curve around the rod so that the gas in the tube is consequently more highly ironized, whereby an increase of strength of the total luminous discharge is caused. To every change of right angles cathode rays When the field of the .sistance, in such -theran e of greatest current in the coil there corresponds, therefore, a certain c ange of current in the luminous discharge maintained by the source of current 0. Now it has been found that the sensitiveness of this arrangement is very variable, according to the strength for the time bein of the magnetic field influencing the catho e rays, or in other words, according in each instance to the form which the cathode rays assume in the tube. Indeed, when fields of variable, gradually increasing intensity are employed, ranges of variable' sensitiveness can be found. Therefore, in'order to obtain as favorable sensitiveness as ossible, in addition to the coil f, which is traversed by the primary current, an auxiliary coil concentric with the coil 1, said auxiliary coil being fed by an auxiliary source of current. I then regulate the, current in the auxiliary coil, for example by a series re manner that as great sensitiveness of the a paratus as possible is obtained.- Fig. 2 s ows such an arran ement. In addition to the means shown in ig. 1, I provide the auxiliary coil g, the source of current m and-a variable resistance a. When the current in, the auxiliary coil is varied by varying the resistance, it is found that between the magnetic field of the auxiliary coil .determined by the number of ampere turns per centimeter the'luminous discharge in the tube there exists a relationreprese ted by the curve in Fig. 3. It is seen from this curve that the strength i of the luminous discharge is very small'as long as the number of ampere turns er centimeter length of coil equals zero, a. e. as long as no current traverses the auxiliary coil. As the current in the auxiliary coil increases, the luminous discharge at first increases very slowly, then very rapidly between the points :0, and an, and then slowly again after the point 01,. The part of the curve which rises very ra idly represents sensitiveness of the tube. I the tube is adjusted to this sensitiveness by regulatin auxiliary coil, to sale. in the primary curcuit there very large changes of ener ary'circuit, as will be rea from Fi 3.

The above described arrangements have 1 changes of energy will correspond in the secondily understood the defect that their action is somewhat im-' paired by the sluggishness of theopera- This defect is parwhen periodical changes high frequency occur.

of energy of very be avoided by dividing Now this defect can the current supplied by source of current 0 to the negative pole into two portions and conductin them to two cathodes, as represented in ig. 4. Each of the two cathodes 6,, b, is coaxially or it is preferable to arrangelength of the coil and,

, and to bring 5 the current in the 1 .be made when the secondary concentrically surrounded by coils f,, f, fed by the primary source of current 7). g, and g, are two auxiliary coils for regulating the sensitivcness of the apparatus. m designates the source of current and n the variable resistance. The coils f,, g, and f,, g, are so connected that the magnetic fields of the two appertaining coils are added together on the one side, whereas one is subtracted from the other on the other side, so that when weakened the field on the other side is correspondingly strengthened. This can be brought about in a simple manner by, e. g. winding the coils f 9 and f, in the same direction and the coil 51 in he opposite direction. The consequence is that the undivided current at the anode d flows, when the change of energy takes place in the primary circuit, in one direction mostly by way of the one-cathode, for example by way of the cathode b, and the conductor e,,,

when the chang f.

but, on the contrary, current in the primary circuit takes place, in the other direction by way of the other cathode, i. e. by wa of the cathode b, and the conductor e,. be transference of the luminous discharge from the-one cathode to the other takes place in this arrangement with exceedingly great rapidity, so that this arrangement is very particularly suitable for transmitting high-frequency currents. In this arrangement the receiving apparatus is not directly connected in the h, and influencing a secondary coil 25, in whose circuit the receiving apparatus 8 is interpolated, are interposed in the secondary circuit. In order to avoid losses of energy the anode quite into the range of the highly ionized gases surrounding the cathodes so that absolutely no parts of the luminousdischarge having appreciable inertia can arrive, I preferably form the anode in such manner that it surrounds the cathode like a tube, as represented in Figs. 5, 5 and 6. In these arrangements the anode most simply consists of a metallic coating on the inside of the tube. In Fig. 5 two tubes 21 and a are employed having the cathodes 3,, b, and the anodesd d,. The connecting branch or tube 0 between the tubes is for equalizin the pressure of the gases in the tubes. -n order to avoid a dampin action, particularly in the case of high equency currents, the anode is slit longitudinally, asshown in Figs. 5" and 6. Obviously, the reverse arrangement may the cathode will concentrically surround the" anode, as will be readily understood, this arrangement being most simply brought about by connecting thi positive pole to the former cathode and -th negative pole to the former anode. As'i' is advantageous to make the strength of our secondary circuit, but two transformer coils rent in the tube as great as possible and thereby to obtain great changes in the strength of the luminous discharge, I may enlarge the superficial area of the cathode for this purpose by, for example, making it stellar as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 shows an arrangement in which the receiving apparatus 8 is connected in parallel to the secondary, high-tension circuit. a, and a, designate two connected tubes similar to those shown in Fig. A choking coil u a battery 0 and a resistance '11 are connected to the tubular anodes d, and

'a'-,. "The conductors 6,, 6,, connected to the resistance '0, go by way of the choking coils u u, to the cathodes b b,. The receiving apparatus .9, comprising e. g. a telephone actuated byalternating current,

is connected in parallel with this circuit condensers w w, being interpolated in the circuit of the, receiv ng apparatus. Owing to the symmetrical arrangement of the apparatus fluctuations in the primary sourceof current are not transmitted to the receiving apparatus because they are kept back by the choking coils. In addition, owing to the parallel connection of the two luminous discharge tubes like changes in strength of the working tension in the two tubes are caused to take place simultaneously, whereby fluctuations of current in the receiving apparatus are likewise prevented. Therefore, a dynamo may be used as the primary source of current instead of the battery 0.

Fig. 8 diagrammaticall shows the inven- Lion as applied to radiote egraphy. An antenna z is connected to earth by way of a choking coil y. The fluctuations of current in the choking coil are taken u by the'coil and sent into the coil f woun around the tube (1 having the cathode b. A receiving apparatus 8, e. g. a detector, which reproduces fluctuations of current increased corresponding to the changes of the primary current is interposed in the secondary circuit.

1. In means for producing lar e changes of energy in dependence on smal changes a? energy, the combination, with a second cry circuit comprising a source of current, and a vacuum tube, of a receiver operatively connected with said circuit, a primary circuit comprisin a coil wound around said tube concentrical y with the cathode, and means for causing a current to flow in the Primary circuit.

2. In means for producing lar e changes f energy in dependence on smal changes 0F energy the combination, with a second ary circuit comprising a source of current, oNd a vacuum tube, of a receiver operatively connected with said circuit, a prima circuit comprising a coil wound aroun said tube concentrically with the cathode, and

means for causing a current to flow in the primary circuit; an auxiliary coil conccn tric or approximately concentric with the former coil, and means comprising an adjustable resistance for energizing the auxiliary coil.

3. In means for producing large changes of energy in dependence on small changes of energy, the combination of a secondary circuit comprising a vacuum tube having two rod-shaped cathodes and at least one anode arranged symmetrically relatively thereto, a source of current having one pole connected to said anode, and conductors connecting the other pole of the source of current to the cathodes; a primary circuit comprising a source of current and a coil concentric with each cathode; receiving apparatus operatively connected with the secondary circuit; and an auxiliary circuit comprising a source of current, a variable resistance and an auxiliary coil concentric with each cathode.

4. In means for producing large changes of energy in dependence on small changes of energy, the combination of a secondary circuit comprising a vacuum tube having two rod-shaped cathodes and at least one anode arranged symmetrically relatively thereto, a source of current having one pole connected to said anode, and conductois connecting the other pole of the source of current to the cathodes; a primary circuit comprising asource of current and a coil concentric with each cathode; receiving apparatus indirectly operatively connected with the secondary circuit; and an auxiliary cir cuit comprising a source of current, a variable resistance and an auxiliary coil concentric with each cathode.

5, In means for producing large changes of energyin dependence on smal changes of energy, the combination of a secondary circuit comprising a vacuum tube having two rod-shaped cathodes and at least one 1 anode arranged symmetrically relatively thereto, a source of current having one pole connected to said anode, and conductors connecting the other pole of the source of current to the cathodes; a primary circuit comprising a source of current and a coil concentric with each cathode; receiving apparatus operatively connected with the secondary circuit; and an auxiliary circuit comprising a source of current, a variable resistance and an auxiliary coil concentric with each cathode, the coils 'in the prima circuit around the cathodes and one auxi iary coil. bein wound in one direction and the other auxi iary-coil being wound in the other direction.

- 6. In mean fordproducing large changes of energy in depen ence on small changes of energy, the combination of a secondary circuit comprising a vacuum tube having two rod-shaped cathodes and atleast one anode arranged symmetrically relatively thereto, a source of current having one pole con nected to said anode, and conductors connecting the other pole of the source'of current to the cathodes; a primary circuit oomrising a source of current and a coil concentric with each cathode; a circuit comprisin a receiver and a condenser on each side t ereofconnected in shunt with the secondary circuit; and a choking coil interpolated in each of said conductors connecting the cathodes with the source of current in the secondary circuit; and an auxiliary circuit comprising a source of current, a variable resistance and an auxiliary coil concentric with each cathode.

7. In means for producing large changes of energy in dependence on small chang of energy, the combination, with a secondary circuit comprising a source of current, and a vacuum tube having at least one rodlike cathode and a tubular anode surrounding the latter, of a receiver operatively connected with said circuit, a primary circuit comprising a cbil wound around said'tube concentrically with said cathode, and means for causing a current to flow in the primary circuit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HANS GERDIEN.

.- Witnesses:

IIENRY HASPER,

Wowsuan Haur'r. 

